New Forest

Thief tries to steal power cables near Fawley

A WOULD-be thief is thought to have suffered serious burns after an incident that caused a major power cut.

Homes in the Waterside area were blacked out after someone attempted to steal power cables from a site off the B3057 at Stonehills, Fawley.

A police spokesman said the offender took a ladder and scaffolding pole to the scene and attempted to climb a wooden pylon to switch off the main power.

He added: “The power was not isolated and when the scaffold pole hit the power an explosion occurred and cut power to the area. Police believe the explosion burned the hands of the person who held the pole.”